Obtained End-Game Gear for a Bowl of Ramen - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19. Shadow Swap
“China’s Ranking 1, Li Wei, was nearly assassinated? Yes! That’s poetic justice!”
Kim Min-jae, an administrator at the Korean Hunter Management Office, trembled with excitement and clenched his fists. Oh Seung-woo, the department head, clicked his tongue.
“Min-jae. It’s fine when we’re alone, but restrain yourself in public. Our information provider this time is Li Wei himself.”
The assassination attempt on Li Wei sent shockwaves through not only South Korea but the entire global hunter industry.
What troubled everyone most was the assassin’s affiliation. According to Li Wei’s report, the assassin’s name was Jack the Ripper, and he belonged to The Greeters.
The Greeters were Gate zealots—pseudo-fanatics who spouted that Gates were humanity’s salvation. They prattled on about how Gates would level all the contradictions, inequities, and disparities that humanity had accumulated, ushering in true equality. Yet in the wake of a Gate’s passage, only impartial death remained.
If they loved equality that much, they should simply die. Oh Seung-woo’s mouth twisted at the thought. The real problem was their next target: Korea, and more specifically, the Baekdam Guild.
“Director Oh. Since when did the Dragon from the East hand over all their intelligence? Could this be another trap? Like that Yeongwol Gate situation before?”
“No. Jack the Ripper’s ultimate objective is the detonation of the S~EX-Rank Gate that will soon open in Shanghai. He made clear that stopping this Gate requires cooperation between Korea, China, Japan, and Russia.”
Oh Seung-woo flipped through the documents, rustling through to the final page.
“And there’s a postscript: ‘The debt is repaid.'”
Kim Min-jae tilted his head in confusion.
“What debt?”
“How should I know? Maybe he gulped down a High Potion even as he was dying. But more importantly, start promoting for the EX-Rank to reveal their identity to the Management Office. I’ll secure some budget—throw ads on outdoor billboards, TV, the internet, everywhere.”
He didn’t really expect the EX-Rank to come forward. If they simply revealed themselves, all of Korea—the entire world, even—would shower them with welcome. There had to be limits to humility! Oh Seung-woo’s frustration boiled over. At least the EX-Rank wouldn’t die to Jack the Ripper, surely?
“That’s enough on the Jack the Ripper matter. One more thing, Min-jae—any other notable updates?”
“Yes, sir! Though it may be a temporary statistical error, hunter casualties have declined compared to yesterday. That would be the blessing of the EX-Rank, wouldn’t it?”
Oh Seung-woo let out a short, derisive laugh. Even for an EX-Rank, there had to be limits.
“Min-jae. How exactly would an EX-Rank reduce casualties across all of Korea’s hunters? By how much did it drop?”
“Fifty percent.”
Oh Seung-woo shot up from his chair.
“Fifty percent? No, that has to be coincidence. How does that even make sense? Cut in half in a single day?”
“See! Director, it really must be the EX-Rank’s doing! There are skills that radiate buffs to your surroundings, right? That Aura that Korea’s Ranking 2 is supposed to have!”
“Jo Jae-hyung? Aura has a max radius of 300 meters. This is just imagination. Min-jae, stop daydreaming and focus on your work! I’ll verify it myself.”
Oh Seung-woo pulled up Hunter Online directly. If the EX-Rank really was radiating Aura, the hunters in the field would definitely feel it.
└Haven’t any of you guys felt like you’re not getting hurt since yesterday?
The moment he opened Hunter Online, Oh Seung-woo flinched.
└For real though. I don’t know why, but ever since yesterday, even when monsters hit me, it doesn’t hurt.
└I work in an emergency ward under the Hunter Management Office. Last night there were way fewer patients than usual.
└My younger brother got his chest caved in by a goblin at a Gate, and yet he survived! What on earth is happening?
└Could it be… the EX-Rank?
└Is that EX-Rank a god?
└I was handling a D-Rank Gate and took a poison sting that had me groaning in pain, but I ended up living anyway, right? If this is thanks to the EX-Rank, I’m prostrating myself to them every single day from now on.
└Does anyone even know where the EX-Rank lives?
Oh Seung-woo quietly wiped his eyes. There were far too many accounts from hunters to dismiss this as mere coincidence. And the statistical data backed it up.
Behind the monitor, Kim Min-jae slowly lifted his face with a knowing look.
“Told you so, Director. I was right, wasn’t I? It’s definitely the EX-Rank’s doing!”
* * *
[Skill Used: Tower of Trials Entry]
[Entering Floor 16 of the Tower of Trials.]
[Floor 16 Objective: Eliminate 40 Trolls.]
Jung Ho opened his inventory. The Bow of Fading Cherry Blossoms shimmered with an otherworldly light.
‘Now that I’ve enhanced a new item, I should test it out.’
Floor 16 of the Tower of Trials—eliminate 40 trolls. Though formidable, they were a world apart from the goblins that appeared in Floors 11 through 15.
Each troll towered at least three meters tall, possessed the raw strength to uproot trees, and bore the regenerative power to reattach severed limbs. But…
-Bow of Fading Cherry Blossoms (Legendary): A bow that fires mana instead of arrows. Shots always strike true, and two hits on the same target result in instant death.
Two hits meant instant death. Jung Ho drew the bow string taut with all his strength. The draw felt far heavier than it had back when the bow was Epic-tier.
His target: a troll at least a kilometer away. Had his sense stat increased? Even at this distance, he could feel the troll’s heartbeat with crystal clarity.
Crack!!
A deafening report that shattered all memory of the Epic-tier bow’s sound. The arrow itself had doubled in size and thickness.
Thud!!
Cherry blossom petals embedded themselves deep into the troll’s body. The creature convulsed in agony, thrashing about in pain—and even before its death, the sheer force of the impact was staggering.
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
Jung Ho ignored the mana contamination warnings and drew the bow string again. Crack! The second arrow found its mark. The troll dissolved into a shower of cherry blossom petals.
[Troll 1/40 Eliminated!]
“The bow’s power is much stronger now. The rate of fire slowed, but since it dropped from five hits to instant death to just two hits, overall it’s faster, isn’t it?”
Shrieeeeek!!!
Enraged trolls hefted their clubs and surged toward Jung Ho. He tucked the Bow of Fading Cherry Blossoms away. For a numbers game like this, magic beat archery.
“Deep Cloud.”
[Skill activated: Deep Cloud (Original)]
[Hero’s Power Stage 4 resonates!]
Whoosh! Billowing clouds engulfed the troll swarm. Blinded, their vision cut off, the trolls shrieked in panic and tangled against one another.
“Fire Bolt.”
[Skill activated: Fire Bolt (Original)]
[Unleashing arrows of flame.]
[Hero’s Power Stage 4 resonates!]
[Divergent Mind activates!]
[Skill copied: Fire Bolt (Original)]
“Two shots.”
Boom! Two miniature suns deluged the ground with fire, and the clouds—now burning like tinder—twisted into serpents of flame that strangled the trolls.
[Troll 7/40 eliminated!]
[Troll 26/40 eliminated!]
[Troll 38/40 eliminated!]
All but two dispatched. Two trolls, their bodies still smoldering, clawed their way through the chaos and rushed at Jung Ho.
Raaagh!
“Water Shield.”
[Skill activated: Water Shield (Original)]
[Hero’s Power Stage 4 resonates!]
[Divergent Mind activates!]
[Skill copied: Water Shield (Original)]
Splash! A sphere of brilliant blue water enveloped Jung Ho. The troll wound up and swung its club with all its might, but—
Twang!
The elastic water sphere hurled the club backward. It snapped around and shattered the neighboring troll’s spine at a ninety-degree angle.
Ahhhhh!
Even bent double, the creature’s regeneration kicked in—only to leave shards of bone grinding through its flesh, wracking it with agony until, mercifully, it died.
[Troll 39/40 eliminated!]
“Wow. I’m… I’m sorry. You’re the last one. Let me make it quick. Fire Bolt.”
[Tower of Trials Floor 16 cleared!]
[Clear time: 00:00:11 seconds.]
[Clear Rating: EX]
[EX-Rank Reward: Obtained 108 Magic Stones.]
[EX-Rank Special Reward: Obtained 1 Hero’s Proof.]
[Reclaimed Rank 1! Record updated!]
Jung Ho had come to Floor 16 of the Tower of Trials to test just how much stronger he’d become.
The results were conclusive. The Legendary Bow of Fading Cherry Blossoms was a cheat item for Remote Instant Death, and with Hero’s Power now at Stage 4, his skill output had grown exponentially. Everything checked out except for Presence itself.
[Jung Ho’s Presence: The survival rate of all Korean citizens increases infinitesimally.]
A new authority earned as a clear reward from Floor 4 of the Tower of Heroes. According to Great Shadow Dae Young, it was a power to stand against the world itself.
Jung Ho, for his part, felt nothing. There was no mortal peril in the Tower of Trials, after all. A waste.
‘I’m already strong enough, but now I’m itching for new skills.’
Jung Ho cracked open the Hero’s Diary to just one corner.

The Hero’s Diary was a powerful permanent growth item. To profit from it, raw strength alone wouldn’t suffice. Maybe he could use Fire Bolt against a storm?
‘If I solve everything with brute force, only brute force rises. I started with F in every stat—except Mana. I need to raise them evenly.’
Jung Ho sensed the need for more diverse options. A skill that could help with the Hero’s Diary would be useful in everyday life too—even boiling ramen.
‘If I could get earth or metal magic, something about the ground… after all, a ramen pot is metal too.’
From the Hero’s Diary: against the storm, he would raise dams and walls. For boiling ramen, he would hear the pot’s song.
A solid idea. Once he’d set his goal, all he needed was Magic Stones. Great Shadow Dae Young probably had skill books anyway.
The problem was the supply of Magic Stones. The small Chaos Gate he’d been farming regularly had dried up its rewards from overfarming.
“Think a new Gate will open soon? Somewhere with no people and minimal property damage…?”
Buzz—
His smartphone rang. Jung Ho reached for it reflexively, then froze. Something felt wrong.
“Shadow Severance.”
[Skill activated: Shadow Severance (Original)]
With a wet squelch, Jung Ho’s shadow rose up. He checked the phone through his shadow instead. A transfer notification—Kwon Min-gi had deposited funds.
‘High Potion sales money? Looks like they’re moving pretty well. The amount is…?’
Transfer received: 1,000,000 KRW. Kwon Min-gi want to meet in person to talk.
One million won. But why was the depositor’s name written like that?
‘Meet in person to return the favor? Probably wants to give me more money. Honestly, it’s a hassle.’
Bank transfers between individuals had daily limits, and there were tax complications and other messy issues to deal with.
Of course, money was meaningless to Jung Ho now. Once he climbed the Tower of Trials, his annual income would easily reach the eight-figure range.
Still, he couldn’t dismiss Hunter Kwon Min-gi’s goodwill. They’d met a few times. Jung Ho decided to go see him.
‘Should I just go in person and skip Shadow Severance altogether? Li Wei’s been quiet lately anyway.’
Until now, he’d had to hide his identity because of Li Wei. But Li Wei had publicly declared surrender. Relations between Korea and China had also softened.
Of course, it could be a trap. To check Li Wei’s movements, Jung Ho logged into Hunter Online.

The moment he logged in, Jung Ho froze. He clicked on the article as if mesmerized.
-On the 17th at midnight, there was an assassination attempt on Li Wei of China. The perpetrator is known as Jack the Ripper, a member of The Greeters, a Gate cultist. Korean Hunters are advised to exercise particular caution.
Jung Ho scrolled through the comments. Sometimes they contained more meaningful information than the article itself.
└Insane. Of all people, Li Wei?
└What are The Greeters?
└Gate fanatics. Extremists who got beaten down two years ago and disappeared, but they’re active again lately.
└But wait. If they’re strong enough to attempt assassinating Li Wei, why not seal Gates or climb the Tower instead? What’s the logic?
└Let’s all die together equally. They’re insane. Just stop trying to understand them.
└Their goal is Gate detonation from the start. If all high-rank Hunters die, no one can stop the Gates from exploding, right?
└I see it differently. EX-Rank will solve this too.
└Is EX-Rank your friend? Have some awareness. What do you think EX-Rank thinks when they see kids like you?
└The Management Office is searching for EX-Rank anyway. They want to find them before Jack the Ripper and provide protection.
Jung Ho finished reading the article and made up his mind.
‘Right. I’ll reveal my identity later once the world quiets down.’
The high-rank Hunter assassin was irritating, and people’s reactions felt burdensome. Revealing himself now would only make the world more chaotic.
He was afraid of being attacked by the assassin, but he didn’t want to hog security resources and put other Hunters in danger as a result.
If he stayed quiet and hidden like now, it was convenient for him. Other Hunters still got protection. Win-win.
‘Decision made. I’ll use Shadow Severance when I meet Hunter Kwon Min-gi.’
Jung Ho settled into a comfortable position and focused on shadow manipulation. The moment his consciousness shifted into the shadow—
[Hero’s Power Stage 4 resonates!]
[A new ability is added to the Shadow Severance skill: Shadow Swap]
-Shadow Swap (Legendary): Exchanges the positions of your shadow and your true body.
‘What is this? Isn’t this basically instant teleportation? If I position my shadow ahead of time, I can escape safely or, conversely, respond to emergencies. Perfect.’
Like when he’d blocked both the Yeongwol and Myeongdong Gates simultaneously using the Gate Remote Entry Pass. Of course, Gates had special benefits since they had the Gate Guide authority, but even setting that aside, it was a formidable power.
‘Good. I’ve got a new skill. Even if something unexpected happens when I meet Hunter Kwon Min-gi, I’ll be safe. I can go without worry.’
* * *
“Welcome! I was so worried I might have been rude, but you actually came in person!”
Jung Ho, who had sent only a shadow, felt awkward. Should he treat this as himself? Just in case, he’d even disguised himself with a hat, sunglasses, a mask, and a scarf.
“Ha, yes. Well, I suppose I’m here in person.”
“I really wanted to meet you. The Ten-Year Elixir you gave us has become a family treasure! A gift from our benefactor, they call it!”
Why was he making such a big deal out of it? Jung Ho felt unbearably uncomfortable.
“It’s nothing special. It’s not like it cost much…….”
“That can’t be right. You turned the Baekdam Guild from a dying business into an international premium potion company! Today I wanted to show you our guild’s operations directly.”
Min-gi started to load Jung Ho’s shadow into the car, then hesitated.
“By the way, what’s your name……? I’m sure we met at the Hunter Online auction house before. Strangely, I can’t remember it.”
It was the effect of the Shadow Severance skill. Jung Ho was about to give his real name but stopped.
‘Even if I tell him my real name, he’ll forget it anyway. He can’t reach my true body through my shadow.’
An alias would be better. What would work? Jung Ho suddenly thought of Great Shadow Dae Young.
“Call me Shadow Echo. That’s my Hunter name.”
“Shadow Echo. That is your Hunter name, isn’t it? Understood. We can discuss the details while you see the potion production facility directly!”
Min-gi led Jung Ho’s shadow into the Baekdam Guild interior. The factory was small in scale and had few workers, but it brimmed with energy.
“Here it is! This is the material selection section for High Potions. The materials selected here are processed according to the recipe you provided, and…….”
Ding! Dong, ding, dong!
What was that school bell sound? The workers stopped what they were doing and rushed toward the exit all at once.
“It’s lunch time. Shadow Echo, would you like to have lunch with us? Just say the word and I’ll take you somewhere nice. We have Japanese, Korean fine dining, French—all reserved.”
Had he deliberately arranged lunch time as entertainment? But Jung Ho had no interest in fine dining.
“I’d like ramen.”
Kwon Min-gi’s eyes wavered.
“Ah, is there—is there something that doesn’t suit you……?”
“No. I just like ramen. It reminds me of my part-time job days. I miss it. Do you happen to have a portable gas burner?”
“Ah, haha! W-we have an induction cooker in the kitchen. Then l-let’s cook ramen together! I’ll prepare it for you, so please rest.”
“No. I’ll cook this ramen myself.”
Kwon Min-gi reached for the pot, then startled—almost in a trance, he handed it to Jung Ho’s shadow.
“……You know how to make ramen well?”
Jung Ho’s shadow nodded silently and set the pot down with a clang.
‘When it comes to ramen, there’s no compromise.’
Jung Ho was as much a ramen connoisseur as he was a skilled cook. Slapping together a half-hearted bowl? That was heresy against ramen itself.
Moreover, it was a slight against Great Shadow Dae Young, who adored ramen, against his master Gang Tae-gong, and against those seniors he believed to be Asclepius and Hephaestus.
Fire kindled in Jung Ho’s heart. Even Kwon Min-gi, a Hunter who wielded flame skills, recoiled in shock at the intensity of his passion.
“Come now, Shadow? It’s only ramen—surely not to that extent……?”
Jung Ho poured every ounce of his being into cooking the noodles. The water temperature was flawless, and though the induction cooktop—lacking visible flame—threw him for a moment, he quickly adjusted.
‘If I maintain this heat for three minutes……!’
Bang!
A blackout. The induction cooktop died. Darkness swallowed the factory in a single breath.
“A power outage?”
Wee-woo! Wee-woo!
The siren wailed. Kwon Min-gi bolted upright.
“An emergency! Shadow—it’s an intruder alarm! We need to evacuate right now! Let me handle this…….”
“No. I’m going with you.”
Jung Ho stared vacantly at the ramen pot, his hand resting on its cooling surface. The induction’s warmth faded steadily. The perfect ramen—ruined by an uninvited guest.
……An attack on the factory? It happened. Life carried its complications. Everyone had their reasons. But there’s an old saying: even a dog won’t be kicked while it’s eating.
‘Shadow Swap.’
Whoosh! Jung Ho’s body teleported instantly to Baekdam Guild.
Continued in the next chapter ▶
Got an endgame item from one bowl of ramen
Author
White Dried Persimmon
Publishers
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication Date
August 24, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260423069
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※ Pentagram is awaiting your precious manuscript.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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